Bottles of beverages such as soft drinks or beer are frequently packaged and transported in containers made of paperboard. One problem associated with such containers is that when they become wet, for instance by atmospheric condensation of moisture due to cold drinks, there may be a deterioration in tear strength, leading to breakage. To overcome this problem, corrugated board is sometimes used instead of paperboard for making such containers, due to its superior strength relative to traditional paperboard. However, corrugated board is heavier and bulkier than paperboard, and graphics printed on it are generally of poorer quality that that obtainable on paperboard.
Thus there remains a need for paperboard-based materials having good tear resistance when wet. In addition, it would be desirable to provide such a paperboard-based material in as inexpensive a manner as possible, using cost-effective processes.